NCJ Number
110534
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 67 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall-Winter 1987) Pages: 71-75
Date Published
1987
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article addresses the short tenure of State system administrators and other obstacles for correctional change and presents a concept for the future of corrections.
Abstract
The high turnover rate of correction administrators in State systems is described as the most critical factor influencing what can be accomplished in the future. The author argues that professional leadership must find ways to extend tenure from the average of 27 months for State correctional administrators to increase stability. Sentencing options and lengths, prison environments, prison operations, control of inmates, and preparation for release are discussed in visualizing the future of corrections. It is hypothesized that in the future, a higher percent of a State's inmate population will require 'close' and maximum-security status, as longer sentences increase the risk of escape and result in an increased 'hardening' of the inmate population. It is recommended that prisons focus on the basics of being safe, secure, and humane, with emphasis on work as the basis for inmate programs. Work and the development of a work environment closely paralleling and relevant to the outside world is recommended for the long-term population. Additional efforts for correctional change include seeking citizens' input in creating acceptable community-based alternatives to incarceration and developing ways to adequately supervise and control those under community placements.